Best Modular Construction Projects of 2018

With another year comes another assortment of fantastic modular construction projects. And in a world of online shopping and next day deliveries, it is easy to see why modular construction is becoming the preferred project delivery method by many in the construction world. These modular construction projects offer incredible advantages in a variety of construction applications.

For example, many urban centers are in need of new buildings, but cannot afford to have heavy construction clog up roadways and present hazards to their citizens for months at a time; modular construction can help. Or when looking to provide affordable housing to a growing poverty population, modular construction offers a quick solution that does not break the city’s budget.

These are just some of the reasons modular construction is on the rise, and in this post, we are going to highlight the projects that show off these benefits the best!

1. Port Alberni Houses the Homeless

Port Alberni is a town of around 25,000 people nestled in a valley on Canada’s Vancouver Island. The town has a long history in the forestry industry and has been growing as a tourist destination for those traveling along Vancouver Island’s west coast. However, like many towns, Port Alberni has had homeless concerns in recent years.

In order to combat this, the city needed to find a way to supply their in-need citizens with a quality place to live, but the project needed to be delivered quickly and most of all, needed to be affordable for British Columbia itself.

The city contracted eight firms to help supply the modules for this product; totaling $291 million to build more than 2000 individual units for their homeless population. The units come with a complete bathroom, bed, and kitchenette areas and offer up to 450 sq ft of floor space. So far, 421 units of the project have been delivered and are being occupied with the majority of the rest to be finished up by year’s end.

The modular construction industry in British Columbia not only provides shelter to the homeless but also has provided nearly 3000 jobs to the area and over $614 million in increased economic activity. Modular Construction certainly has been a win-win for this Canadian province.[1]

2. Luxury Pilot’s Lodgings for Jet Hangar

In addition to its affordability, this project goes to show that modular construction can be as high-class and stylish as any other form of construction. In this instance, the jet hangar, located at Burlington Regional Airport, was a part of the vision from Andy Albright, President, and CEO of National Agents Alliance. The world-class facility offers instant access to their corporate office in Burlington, located only five short miles away and houses his 2 jets.

The space is the perfect location for The Alliance to host corporate events and provide pilots with lodging after some of their many cross-country sales flights. And to top it all off, they hired an interior decorator to ensure the highest quality, the building contains is own sleeping quarters, restrooms, kitchen space, pool tables, ping-pong tables, flat-screen TVs, and a fully stocked bar.

By using modular construction, they were able to quickly and cleanly install the building without causing a major disruption in the facility. Overall, the two-story building makes use of a binder-post system and a series of panels that are pre-cut in Panel Built’s manufacturing facility. [2]

3. University Classrooms in Chile

The University of Santiago de Chile was looking to make a statement on the importance of sustainability; a stance they teach their own students on a daily basis. So, when looking to construct a new set of classrooms, they decided to do it in one of the most sustainable ways possible, by recycling!

In conjunction with the architectural department and ATCO Sbinco, they developed a design that would re-use old storage containers with a trendy and stylish twist. By opening up the containers with long windows and open-air walkways, the new structures give the classrooms a very modern look. Along with the second-hand storage containers, the additional steel and wood components fo the building were reclaimed from old, demolished buildings from the past, making this a highly innovative, sustainable design. [3]

4. House Pieced Together in Just 8 Hours

Number two in our list goes to another Canadian modular construction project. This time a single residence that was put together at the job site all in one day! The building itself is an iModular “Algoma” design that is a part of the iModular Contemporary collection. The building can be seen off-lifted and installed to its permanent residence in this time-lapse video via the Toronto Star.

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5. Boutique Hotel Brand Builds Their First Modular Hotel in The US

Our final project goes to CitizenM, who has adopted a modular construction system to build it’s second NYC location, a boutique hotel in the heart of The Bowery. The CitizenM hotel chain is famous for its minimalist style, while still providing a luxury hotel experience. The new hotel itself. The company itself has its roots in Europe with many of their locations overseas featuring their own modular style.

Their European counterparts have their modules manufactured in a prefabricated construction factory in Poland from there, the rooms are shipped to the company’s next hotel project to easily be installed in place. The rooms are totally fabricated in a factory with furniture pieces such as the beds, showers, and vanity mirror already in place before being shipped. Overall, this new hotel consists of 210 prefabricated units. [5]

As you can see, there’s a variety of ways that modular construction can add value to a project. The standardized manufacturing method allows for the modular construction companies to cut costs without cutting corners. With advancements in overall modular building design and the growing number of companies looking towards modular construction for future projects, next year’s line of projects are bound to be even more incredible. Not only are these buildings able to be used by multi-national corporations, but modular construction can be applied to humanitarian efforts to provide quality and affordable housing to those who need it most.

Looking through these top modular construction projects, it is easy to see why the hype surrounding the modular construction industry has become what it is today. Quick, affordable housing, quality assurance, sustainable design, and overall waste reduction are just some of the many benefits seen in the modular construction industry in 208; who knows what the new year will hold.